NOTE ON THE SLIMY COATINGS OF CERTAIN 

 BOLTENIAS- IN PORT JACKSON. 



By R. von Lendenfeld, Ph.D. 



A stalked solitary Ascidian, somewhat like Boltenia australis, 

 which grows in depths between 6 and 10 fathoms in Port Jackson 

 is characterised by its slimy surface. The pale brick -red colour of 

 the outer surface of the slimy body of the cellulose mantle is 

 similar to that of the stalk which does not appear slimy. 



Expecting to find gland cells in the cellulose mantle I made 

 sections which, however showed, that this slimy coating is nothing 

 else than the ova of the Ascidian which cover the outer surface 

 of it with a layer about 2 mm. in thickness. 



These ova are surrounded by follicula, which consist of pris- 

 matic cells about three times as high as broad. The follicle-wall, 

 consisting of a single layer of these cells, is as thick ag the 

 diameter of the spherical transparent ovum. As in other 

 Ascidians these follicle- cells are filled with highlv refractive 

 granules, and there seems to be little doubt that these granules 

 are nothing else than a muceous substance which is pressed forth 

 when the Ascidian is touched, and then appears as that slippery 

 slime which covers the parts of the surface which are coated with 

 ova only, and is not met with on the stalk where the ova are 

 absent. Out of the breeding season these Ascidians are ordinary, 

 not slimy Boltenias. 



